The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Millma Verse
Disclaimer: As always, this story is loosely based on the Arrowverse and DC Comics in general.
Copyright: Millma Verse
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Note: So, this chapter was originally planned as part of a 350/400/450-whatever likes on the Facebook page celebration but considering we're well over 1000 likes on there now, this quickly became moot. Still, the idea was good – although I haven't been 100% sold on it all. Nevertheless, the concept of Kayla facing her past and giving more history on Villain Earth was good, so I hope you enjoy what this chapter became.
Return to Villain Earth: Saving Alura
Kayla was in Prime's Secret Sanctuary cargo ship, along with her Mon and the two Ciscos. She had been ready to save her mom, but the Ciscos had been delaying, having been looking over and assessing the technology they'd obtained from their recent world hopping to the Earth where they'd stopped Brainiac – but Kayla was getting frustrated, wondering if she'd begin to lose her nerve of returning home if they took any longer.
"Please tell me you guys are ready now?" Kayla asked the Ciscos, who were at their computer looking over notes and schematics for the cryogenic tubes.
"We are," Mutant Cisco stated, surprising Kayla as he looked around to her. "But are you?"
"What are you on about? Of course, I'm ready, I've been ready since I met my alternative mom on that In'Dak planet," Kayla explained annoyed with the question.
"Maybe you shouldn't go in all hot-headed," Mon voiced his own concern, Kayla turning to look at her partner in surprise.
"Of all the people…" Kayla began.
"I'm not deterring you," Mon stated quickly, grabbing her hands to calm her, "but I mean, it's all very well doing this to save your mom, but this is the world you left, the world where your sister and cousin were killed. I mean, you don't talk about it, and you've been avoiding explaining the place even to me."
"It's my past, I can keep it to myself if want," Kayla defended herself crossing her arms. She had never wanted to tell her new friends, her new family, about the world she left. Not really. What little they knew was what she allowed or what the Vibes had seen.
"I know, and I'm not disputing that, but I mean, even after we found out about your mom and you came back from that interesting combo of Daxam and Krypton with renewed vigor to save her, you've avoided talking of the world – even more so than before," Mon explained.
"So?" Kayla asked, confused by this.
"I think you're using your mom as an excuse not to talk of the world, of your past, and to focus on her, rather than your history," Mon stated. The two Ciscos kept quiet at this, worried if a full-blown argument between the couple might explode between the two.
"My past is–" Kayla began again.
"Your own, I know, and I respect that, but by denying your past you might not be able to save your mom," Mon stated, causing Kayla to pause.
"Okay…" Kayla didn't quite know where Mon was going with this.
"All I know is that Black Siren killed your Kara and Clark and that the American President is a bad guy. I didn't even know that Barry there was evil until Henry and Cindy of the world explained to us what was going on," Mon stated. "If you have any chance of saving your mom, of having us help you, we need to know more. Like, who else we can expect to be evil there. We know you said Cisco is the one who sent you. What about Caitlin?"
"Caitlin? She's evil and imprisoned on SnowAllen," Mutant Cisco spoke up, making everyone turn to him – even Kayla seemed surprised by that. "It had to do with the whole Echo thing years ago. Continue?"
"Well, Cindy and Henry are here, maybe–" Kayla tried, thinking those two would be more likely to answer questions on who was fighting for the government now anyway.
"No. Not from the messenger, from the horse's mouth itself," Mon stated firmly.
"Are you calling me a horse?" Kayla tried to defuse the situation, but Mon wasn't having it.
"No, you know as well as I do that it's an earth expression. Besides, Cindy's been busy and Henry seems too invested in this world's Barry and Kara to even want to talk," Mon added, knowing that Cindy of Villain Earth seemed to keep to herself while Henry seemed to be bonding with Prime Barry; Mon wondered if the man even wanted to return to his home world after discovering a son who was both good, and wanted to get to know him.
"Fine," Kayla sighed. "You want to know my past? You want to know about the world called Villain Earth? Ask."
"Okay. Let's start with an easy one," Mon decided, wanting to ease Kayla into this. "Who exactly is President there?"
"Snart," Kayla replied simply.
"As in Leonard Snart?" Mutant Cisco spoke up at this. Although his Prime double had gotten a lay of the land a of Villain Earth a few years ago, he hadn't.
"The one and the same," Kayla stated, noticing the looks on their faces. "Yeah, I know he's generally a good guy on other worlds now – well sort of good, and I tolerate them – but trust me, on Villain he's the worst."
"Who's Vice President?" Mon now tried.
"Who do you think? It's Mick Rory," Kayla continued, shocking the group more.
"Alright," Mon decided not to pursue this one further, moving on to harder questions. "What are these partisans that have been mentioned before."
"They're the resistance, of sorts," Kayla sighed, then paused. "Okay, if we're really going there then this is going to be a long story."
"I've got time," Mon smirked.
"Fine," Kayla sighed. "When Snart first became President, it seemed like good times were coming. He had an interesting career leading to it, and in all honesty, he ran the country well, but things quickly turned south. The police forces were disbanded, and private enterprises took their place; they implemented their own rules, taking people for their own game, killing others. We thought Snart was simply looking the other way, but he wanted this to happen. Then came the rise of the villains; baddies who were previously imprisoned were released and soon the country was overwhelmed. The partisans were a group of heroes and individuals who came together seeking a better future."
"Okay, I can see how the world went downhill quickly," Mon mused.
"We wanted Snart out, but he changed the 4-to-8-year rule on Presidential reign to make his Presidency last until he was outed or died. Neither was likely as the world had turned, so the partisans went from a group of people to a whole ideal," Kayla continued. "Heroes and normal people wanting the world order back to what it was, standing up for what was right."
"I'm liking these partisans," Mon stated, smiling encouraging at Kayla.
"Well, Clark and Kara were the leaders of the partisans," Kayla explained further. "I was never really a hero, but I did my part. And of course, being the leaders, they were primary targets of anyone against us. Luckily, being Kryptonian they were able to avoid and survive most attacks… until Black Siren," Kayla paused at this, but Mon didn't say a word, wanting her to continue, on her own accord. "Her scream blew their brains!" Kayla snapped, the first time she'd ever spoken about it. "They were dead – there and then. I just…"
"With our leaders dead, many people lost hope," the new voice drew their attention to Cindy, who had appeared in the room, looking to Kayla. "Including my Cisco," she continued. "We decided that enough was enough and offered people the chance to leave on the provision that they could never come back, or even find a new life once they left."
"I couldn't continue without my Kara or Clark. No family, no… hope," Kayla stated, tears in her eyes now.
"Many chose to leave – my Cisco included," Cindy explained, "but I remained, Henry remained. Lois, who many thought would leave too after her husband's murder, took over leadership of what was left of the partisans, but our numbers were low. We've remained low, with people being picked off by the day. Kayla, there's barely any of us left now," Cindy addressed Kayla directly. "When we discovered the holding facility in Washington DC, we thought our numbers could improve – many of our missing people are in there – but with the Flash…"
"What's up with the Barry of your world?" Mutant Cisco spoke up, addressing Cindy instead of Kayla now and by so doing, stopping Cindy's bombardment of Kayla. "How did he end up… evil?"
"His mother was murdered when he was young, he only had his dad, but he resented Henry for not doing more to save his mom. He was a bad kid from the off, so when Snart became President and the world went downhill, his personal world rose. He got his powers, moved away and next thing we knew there was a speedster working for the government – of course, it was him," Cindy stated.
"So, he and Kara…?" Cisco tried.
"Ew no," Kayla spoke up at this. "Look, I know Karry are a thing on most worlds, but not on mine. My Kara wasn't seeing anyone, neither was I, and Clark was with Lois."
"What's a Karry?" Cindy asked to a slight chuckle in the group. She shook her head in dismissal. "Lois, might I add, who is relying on us to break into this facility and free as many people as possible," Cindy spoke up.
"Which, now we've done our little heart-to-heart and you now know my sad history, are we doing this?" Kayla asked Mon, a little annoyed, before turning to the Ciscos. "You know how to free my mom?"
"We do," both Ciscos stated.
"And I'm ready and willing to help," Mon stated, adding, "but thank you. You'll be surprised at how better you feel with yourself now you told your story."
"We'll see," Kayla stated, looking to Cindy now. "So, are we going straight to Washington or what?"
"Yeah, straight there. We can't Vibe directly into the facility because the Flash has set up security that doesn't allow for Vibing or portals, but we can get close," Cindy explained.
"Well then, time to go home," Kayla sighed as Cindy opened the portal for the group.
-Hitchhiker's Guide-
Arriving on Villian Earth it was to the unsuspecting outskirts of the city of Washington DC. The group, apart from Kayla and Cindy, had to pause at how… normal looking the place was.
"I was expecting ruins, fires and riots…" Mon couldn't help but voice. This wasn't what he was expecting from a world known as Villain Earth – he wondered how the Earth got its name, considering the group had never visited it before.
"I told you the partisans are few," Cindy sighed, "the world isn't in disrepair, just under dictatorship. Snart and Rory rule the country, but each city has their own leader as well. For a while, Starling became a good place for the partisans when Black Siren disappeared but when she came back, she seemed to have turned Oliver to her side. It was weird..."
"It seems Black Siren and Nazi Oliver escaped the Crisis destruction of that world," Prime Cisco pointed out.
"Nazi Oliver?" Cindy looked to Prime Cisco, who simply nodded at that. "Wow. Okay, that suddenly makes a lot of sense…"
"Besides, you lot missed the statue of Snart and Rory," Kayla voiced, pointing to the distance: where on most earths there was the obelisk known as the Washington Memorial, here there was a statue of the familiar Mick Rory instead, and only just noticeable from his distance, given how far away they were, the sitting statue of Abraham Lincoln had had a face swap, now supporting Leonard Snart's face instead.
"Leonard and Mick would have a field day with this," Mutant Cisco pointed out, wondering how his Snart and Rory would react to a world where they were essentially the rulers.
"Yeah, let's just do this thing," Kayla sighed, turning to Cindy. "Where's this holding facility?"
"Over this way, follow me," Cindy stated, turning to lead them away from the outskirts of the city to a nonchalant-looking street supporting a multi-story parking lot.
"It's always the place you least expect," Cisco muttered when they reached the parking lot and Cindy led them to what seemed to be a broken elevator.
"Shouldn't security have gone off by now?" Prime Cisco asked.
"Why would it?" Cindy asked. "This is a public lot. Anyone new to the area wouldn't realize this fake elevator wasn't real and would come to it before finding a real, working, elevator. We need to get inside."
"Allow me," Kayla stepped forward, putting her hands on the gap between doors and, using her super strength, pulled the doors open. That was when an alarm went off, but Kayla was quick as she noticed the flashing light within the elevator that must have been linked to the alarm – using heat vision, she blew it up and shut off the alarm.
"That won't stop the Flash," Cindy muttered.
"I know," Kayla sighed, wondering what was next. There seemed to be another door on the other side of this fake elevator. She moved to it and was surprised when the handle yielded. Opening it, there was a stairwell that descended quickly beyond, lit only by the occasional dull bulb.
"Well, down we go," Mon stated, moving forward, but Kayla stopped him.
"I go first," Kayla stated simply. Mon decided not to argue this as Kayla took the lead, followed by Cindy. He decided to hang back, letting the Ciscos go next before taking up the rear. The staircase descended quickly and steeply, levelling off into what could only be described as a prison; a large atrium-like area with cells along the walls. There were two floors with rows of metal doors, but not a security guard in sight.
"No guards… It's like they were expecting us," Mutant Cisco muttered.
"Or they're too confident they don't need the guards," Prime Cisco added.
"Kayla, can you see through the doors?" Mon asked, wondering if each room had an occupant.
"Everything here is lead-lined," Kayla stated, "so no. Cindy, where's my mom being held? In this bit or maybe deeper…?"
"I think she's in this bit. Here, there's a console…" Cindy had noticed something on the wall nearby and moved over to it. "Looks like a list of people contained… some in cryogenic chambers like your mom, some just in general. It looks like the cryo-chambers are kept up there," she pointed up to the second level of this prison, to rows of doors facing them. "Looks like there's a Vibe-lock, here as we suspected – no portals inside the facility, it's why I couldn't get in last time."
"Maybe we can help with that," Prime Cisco moved forward to the panel. "I can maybe shut down the system…" he began to press buttons on the panel, his Mutant double helping.
"Good idea," Kayla nodded. "Let's get this–" before Kayla could finish, there was a flash of speed and Kayla had gone flying, knocked sideways by a dark purple blur which didn't stop as it went for Mon, who only just dodged it before it went for Cindy, who was also sent flying, unable to summon her powers in here.
Kayla was back up though, this time using her freeze-breath against the blur, knowing the cold and ice would slow him down as the blur stopped, frozen on the spot by ice. He wore an all-black suit instead of the usual red, with his face vibrating and his eyes actually glowed red.
"Oh Barry…" Kayla stated, not used to evil speedsters anymore, as they seemed to be part of the past now. She was so used to the multiverse Barrys, too – the ones she considered her brother-in-law in a way now.
"Just because you know who I am…" this Barry stated, his voice vibrating – in fact, his entire body was vibrating, allowing him to break through the ice, but Mon had come up, punching him in the back of the head. Barry turned quickly on the spot to attack Mon, but Kayla now sent out heat vision, but was shocked when Barry matched it – sending heat vision back at her!
"What the hell?!" Kayla called, but Barry had lifted off the ground, floating above her.
"You mother was very helpful, Kaylar Zor-El," Barry stated. "I couldn't emulate all the Kryptonian powers, but this flight thing is helpful, not to mention the heat vision!" As he said this, he flew at Kayla, heat vision in full force, which she matched.
While the fight between Kryptonian and Speedster-Kryptonian continued, not to mention the added Daxamite help, Mutant Cisco had run over to Cindy, who had been knocked unconscious by the hit from the Flash, but Prime Cisco was doing good on finding the backdoor switch to this holding facility – while turning off extra power to the cryogenic chambers would work initially, much like the chambers from Brainiac's ship, they had their own internal controls which he and his double would need to shut off themselves. The only problem was, there were more than just one person in a cryogenic chamber…
"Why did you come back, Super Sister?" Barry was shouting, speeding through attacks from Mon while Kayla let off freeze-breath to slow him down.
"Super Sister?" Mutant Cisco muttered, surprised by the name – it was what Twin Earth's Kayla went by. Then again, Kayla had never spoken of her life on Villian before Mon's interrogation earlier so how was he to know this? He had always suspected her hero's name had been Power Girl – that's what she had been called on the former Paranormal – but maybe they had named her that.
"I'm here for my mom!" Kayla responded to Barry. "The same person you've been experimenting on."
"Oh, shame she's dead," Barry stated, but his ploy was mooted almost instantly as Prime Cisco called out from the panel.
"She's alive in her chamber!" Prime Cisco supplied, causing Barry to scream in frustration as he now ran at Prime Cisco, but Mon intercepted. It was two-against-one, but that one was a speedster with Kryptonian powers, so it was hard.
Kayla sped forward, tackling Barry, and pinning him to a wall for a moment.
"I have seen your alternates Barry," Kayla said, the words seeming to pause the man and Mon stepped back, keeping an eye but understanding the moment. Kayla was going to try to talk to this Barry. "They are good men. Heroes. They fight for the people. It's not too late to be like them."
"My alternates sound like fools," Barry said, back pushing Kayla away with impressive strength.
"I guess your just like the lone other bad Barry out there. But at least he had more of an excuse for his turn than you," Kayla said as Barry ran at them once more, but Mon jumped back into the fight at this point.
That was when the lights shut off, Prime Cisco calling out in joy that he had managed to shut off the system, but this wasn't going to deter Barry, who continued his attack on Kayla now, able to see her with his now-superior Kryptonian vision – and she the same with him. Emergency lighting came on as doors all around the facility began to unlock.
"Keep him busy!" Prime Cisco shouted to Kayla and Mon, just as Cindy woke up; all three Vibes now having their powers back as Cindy didn't waste time, opening a portal and disappearing through it, reappearing a moment later with what looked like a canon-like-gun. She wasted no time as she fired it at Barry, sending him flying backwards.
"Anti-Speed gun," Cindy explained, a smirk on her face as Barry landed. "Never been able to use it until now, but my Winn's been working on it for a while. Shame it's still experimental…"
"What did you do!?" Barry shouted, getting back to his feet, but wobbly and slower.
"Paused your powers, Flash," Cindy smirked.
"Weakened your connection to the Speed Force," Kayla said aloud, realizing this, but also wondering why the Speed Force would have a connection to this Barry before reminding herself she'd also connected to Nazi Barry when that world was around, not to mention New Justice Barry too. It didn't matter what their goal in life, the Speed Force connected to her speedsters regardless.
"Yeah, except he's Kryptonian too…" Mon remarked as Barry held a smirk on his face now, speeding forward with Kryptonian powers, but Cindy was quick as she opened yet another portal, he unable to stop speeding through it as he went straight into the wall, this time knocking himself out.
"We need to act fast," Mutant Cisco spoke up. "There are partisans that need saving in here, and five cryogenic tubes to get out of here."
"Five?" Kayla turned to Mutant Cisco at this.
"Let's just concentrate on waking your mom up first," Prime Cisco stated, already clambering up the ladder-like stairs to the top floor where the five unlocked doors indicated the five cells with the five frozen prisoners.
Meanwhile, Mon was already moving to the other cells on this floor, helping people out – some he knew, some he didn't – who were shocked at their newfound freedom, and their rescuer.
"Super Sister is back?" A young Asian-looking woman couldn't help but noticed Kayla, just as she now flew up the second level to find her mom.
"Trust me, she's not," Cindy told the girl, indicating to the portal she had since opened. "Go, Mona. This will take you back to base."
Meanwhile, Kayla looked in the room where both Ciscos had now entered and stopped at the image. Still frozen in the cell and looking worse for wear with puncture wounds on her face and hands, her mom was staring blankly ahead. Kayla moved forward, putting her hand on the chamber.
"It's too complicated to shut it down here; we need to send the chamber back to Prime and shut it down there," Prime Cisco explained.
"Do it," Kayla stated, Cisco opening a portal under the chamber, it suddenly dropping from sight. Kayla glared at him at this.
"What? It looked heavy," Cisco shrugged at Kayla's reaction. "Your mom will be fine. The chamber might be a little dented though."
"Let's get the others back to Prime, make sure the place is clear and then leave this godawful place," Kayla muttered, turning to the door to leave.
"Not so fast," the black-suited evil Barry stood in the doorway now, looking almost as worse for wear as Kayla's mom, but he was holding Mon in choke hold. "One wrong move, and I break lover-boy's neck."
"No," Kayla growled.
"Yes. You've ruined everything, Super Sister," Barry spat back. "This was my facility, my experimentation lab granted to me by the President himself! I was leading research into alien powers, other meta powers – and you and your… friends just break in here and mess up everything! I won't let you leave. You'll answer for you what you did – even if lover-boy dies."
"You won't harm him," Kayla stated, remaining still. She didn't want to move in case Barry harmed Mon.
"I'll do what I want!" Barry snarled.
"It's me you want, so just let him go and we can fight again," Kayla stated.
"I don't want to fight!" Barry cried out, "I just want my experiments back!"
"They're not experiments," Mutant Cisco voiced at this, Barry looking to him now. "They're people. No one should be treated like experimental rats."
"This research was leading to the advancement of our world, of our science, with me at the helm!" Barry snapped back. "You can't…"
"And yet they did," Mon stated in Barry's grasp, locking eyes with Prime Cisco, a silent agreement going between them. "Now!" He called as he used all his strength to elbow Barry in the ribs before forcing his arm away, not even reacting when he heard Barry's arm breaking from the force of freeing himself. But a portal opened beneath Barry, the man falling through it in shock and pain as Kayla moved forward, the exiting portal above her as Barry fell in front of her, but now she focused her strength as she hit Barry, sending him crashing through the wall and across the atrium of the prison and right into the brick wall opposite.
Barry crumpled to the floor, Kayla speeding forward to check on him, but it was obvious that the man had died as blood poured from his mouth and head, his body obviously broken as his eyes had already rolled to the back to his head.
"Good riddance," Cindy spoke up, moving next to Kayla who was crouched down by the body, unsure what to feel now.
"He was actively experimenting on the people here," Kayla reiterated what Barry had only just told her, Mon and the Ciscos. "Considered them lab rats…"
"I know," Cindy stated, softly now. "Many of the partisans have been tortured for their powers," she looked back at the open doors to the place; she had sent everyone back to their headquarters now but had faced a few severely wounded or disfigured friends. "I'm sure this isn't the only location. We are missing others still who I can't find here."
"Well, you have some of your numbers back," Kayla sighed, standing up and facing Cindy. "A deal is a deal. I helped you and you helped me. We should head back to Prime. Cisco?" She looked over to the Cisco exiting one of the other rooms containing cryochambers.
"All five cryogenically frozen prisoners have been sent to the Secret Sanctuary," this Cisco explained.
"With some very damaged pods," Mon added behind Cisco.
"Let's go back," Kayla stated.
"What about him…?" Mutant Cisco asked, joining Kayla and Cindy by the body of Barry.
"We'll take him back to HQ," Cindy stated at this. "Perhaps we can use his death to spurn on another movement. Can we download a record of everything he did here?" She turned to Mutant Cisco as she asked this question.
"Easy enough," Mutant Cisco stated, moving over to the panel on the wall that he and Prime Cisco had used earlier. "There's a USB slot, I have a spare hard drive on me; give me a few minutes and I can copy things over. I'm sure your Winn will be able to sort out whatever is on here considering he made that… really interesting weapon," he nodded to the gun thing that Cindy had used earlier that was now discarded on the floor near Cindy.
"He sure can," Cindy smirked.
"Well, it seems in death the Barry Allen of this world can be the hero he was meant to be," Kayla mused – if his death and experiments on metas and aliens did help the partisans in any way, the Flash would have done some good, in the end.
-Hitchhiker's Guide-
Arriving back on Prime, Kayla and Mon found themselves back in the Secret Sanctuary, faced with five somewhat dented cryogenic chambers – both Ciscos were working on one.
Kayla moved forward, wiping away the condensation on the chamber that the Vibes were working on to see her mom again. She looked over to Mon, who had gone to another chamber. Moving back to allow the Vibes to do their thing with the chamber, she moved over to Mon.
"Anyone we know?" Kayla asked, looking into the chamber Mon was looking into.
"An alien. A lot of tentacles…" Mon mused. "Not sure what species."
"Or if they're dangerous," Kayla added. "The only thing we know is that my mom needs saving; the people – or creatures – in the other pods can wait."
"Agreed," Mon nodded. "These pods are self-powered. Those within will be fine for a while."
At that moment there was a hissing noise that drew their attention, Kayla looking back to the two Ciscos who had finally opened the pod containing her mom. Kayla sped forward at this, just as Alura's eyes blinked to take in her new surroundings.
"K – Kay – Kaylar…?" Alura muttered, obviously drowsy from the chamber, speaking in Kryptonese, given she didn't know English.
"I'm here mom," Kayla stated, moving forward, not even thinking of switching language.
"That… that man," Alura was obviously confused as Kayla helped her mom out of the pod; Mon rushed and grabbed a chair for her to sit in.
"He's gone, mom. You're safe," Kayla stated, looking up at the Ciscos and Mon at this.
"One minute I was fleeing, then I crashed and that… man… and now," Alura babbled.
"Don't worry mom, you've been through some trauma, your memories would be misaligned for a while – the same thing happened for Jay and the other League members on our previously visited world," Kayla said the last bit more to herself.
"I don't understand," Alura shook her head.
"Just relax. I'm going to speak to my friends here," she told her mom, who nodded at this. Kayla then turned to Mon and the Ciscos. "She's confused," she spoke now in English, "she doesn't really know what's going on. I think that evil Barry did quite a number on her."
"No kidding," Mutant Cisco stated, rolling his eyes in annoyance at what an evil version of his friend could do.
"She might benefit from going to Krypton," Prime Cisco spoke up at this. "Our Krypton. They can help her."
"I agree," Kayla stated. She wanted to get more out of her mom, to find out exactly what had happened to her – to also tell her about Kara and Kal – but maybe that could wait.
"I'll take her there," Prime Cisco stated.
"Do you even speak Kryptonese…?" Mutant Cisco asked.
"I'll just take her to the Els – they know English to help this Alura," Prime Cisco stated to his double, turning to Kayla who understood the look he was giving her.
"Mom," she told her mother, back in Kryptonese, "this man we trust. He's going to take you… well, he's going to take you home."
"Home?" Alura asked, confused.
"Remember dad was always going on about the theory of the multiverse? Well, it's real. This is a different world to the one we lived on – and on this world, Krypton didn't explode. It survived and thrived. A version of you lives there, with her older Kara and the Houses of El and Ze…" Kayla explained.
"I don't…" Alura was obviously confused by this.
"Just… trust me," Kayla stated, knowing it would be hard for her mom in this state to retain much information in her current state.
"Of course, I trust you Kaylar," Alura smiled as Kayla helped her mother up from the chair.
"Here, Cisco," Kayla indicated for Cisco to come over and help steady her mom. He did so, opening a portal at the same time – a portal she knew would take the pair to Ceres, the Kryptonian colony in this solar system where Alura could get some help.
"Go with him, mom," Kayla insisted as Alura simply nodded before she and Prime Cisco vanished through the portal.
There was an odd quiet for a moment as Kayla wasn't sure what to think. She wondered why she didn't simply take her mom to Ceres or Krypton herself, but a second later, there was a flash of speed and Barry had turned up with Skye and Villian Earth's Henry Allen – all three were laughing.
"Kayla," Barry was the one to speak. "You got your mom…? What's with all the pods?"
"We got them from Villian," Mon stated.
"I knew they had your mom on ice, I didn't know they had others…" Henry spoke up, moving over to the pod that Mon had examined earlier but withdrew quickly. "Best keep this one on ice…" he added quickly. "Might want to keep a few of these. The government didn't just take innocent heroes, they do protect from alien invasions too." The group paused not having thought of that – there could be violent aliens here as well.
"What's going on anyway?" Kayla asked, wondering about the timing of Barry turning up.
"Well, we knew you were here and well…" Barry paused, but at that moment another portal opened as Cindy appeared once more – it was definitely the same Cindy as she wore the same clothes and had the same disheveled look as the one who they'd left a few minutes ago.
"The partisan numbers have certainly improved now," Cindy stated, but paused at the room. "Where'd the other Cisco go?"
"To Krypton," Kayla stated, keeping it simple.
"Krypton? I thought your home world was destroyed…" Cindy stated.
"Not in this universe," Kayla replied, a little bluntly.
"I take it you don't have any more of those anti-speed guns?" Mutant Cisco spoke up now.
"Anti-speed…?" Barry voiced, keeping Skye close to him now at the mention.
"It was a prototype and it only had one shot in it. Considering that our one and only known speedster is now dead, I don't think we need it anymore," Cindy shrugged.
"My… my Barry is dead?" Henry spoke up.
"Oh yeah, the Flash is dead," Cindy stated simply. "So…"
"I'm not going back," Henry stated suddenly. "If my Barry is dead, my wife long-since gone, no other family back there…"
"Wait. The partisans need you," Cindy stated, surprised by this revelation.
"No, they don't," Henry countered. "They need meta humans like you and leaders like Lois. I'm just dead weight. I'm not needed back home and here… well, I have a Barry who actually wants to know me, his wife and children who are a joy. This world knows how to deal with what they call 'Stranded' – those who've lost their home worlds – and it's no different to me if I remain."
"Are you sure?" Barry asked, shocked by this. "We've been getting on well the past few days, but I never imagined you'd actually want to stay."
"If you'd have me?" Henry stated quickly to Barry's response.
"Urm, yeah, of course. I mean we'll have to invent a reason you returned from the dead – maybe you went into witness protection or something instead – but I'd love to have you here," Barry grinned. "Skye would love to know more about being… well, human."
"I'm not hooman," Skye voice at this. "I Kwyptonian and meeta."
"But you have human heritage," Barry told his daughter, giving Henry an apologetic look at this.
"You know this means you can't come back to… what did you call us?" Cindy turned to Kayla and Cisco at this.
"Villian Earth," Kayla and Mutant Cisco supplied at this.
"Right. You know you can't return to Villian Earth again, right, Henry?" Cindy asked, a genuine sadness on her face.
"I know," Henry stated. "It's been interesting, being part of the partisans, but I'm old, Cindy. I deserve a chance to settle down, to no longer fight. This world has that opportunity. Maybe I can start a business like I always planned, or open a bar or something."
"Very well," Cindy sighed, glancing back to Kayla and Cisco now. "Thank you, truly, for your help. Our world may be just the slightest bit better because of it. And Kayla, I have a message here from Lois…" Cindy held out a piece of paper and Kayla slowly took it. She had gone back to Villain to get her biological mother, but her adopted mother was still there. Kayla hadn't had the time or thought to go see her. "It's an offer," Cindy explained. "One time only. If you want to come back, you'd be welcome back into the partisans."
"Tell Lois I miss her and love her, but I don't think I will be back," Kayla stated. "This was one-and-done." Kayla turned to Mon who had been standing there. "I got a life in the multiverse now."
"I know," Cindy stated, a little sadly. "Henry," she looked over to the man before moving forward to shake his hand, "it's been a joy working with you."
"You too," Henry pulled Cindy into a hug at that, Kayla wondering if Cindy had seen Henry as a father-figure, wondering in that moment if Breacher was still alive home world – she never knew Cindy all that well so never got to know if her real father was around, and if he was, he could be dead now.
"Thank you," Cindy stated once more, pulling out of the hug, and opening a portal for herself. Without another word, she jumped through it, the portal closing behind her.
"Well…" Barry spoke aloud, drawing attention to him. "It looks like I have my dad back – you, your mom, Kayla."
"True," Kayla bit her lip at this, deep in thought.
"You don't need to do that," Henry stated quickly to Barry, confusing the man.
"Do what?" Barry asked.
"Call me dad. I may be your father, biologically, but I'm not your dad. But we can make a true start, get to know each other properly," Henry stated.
"I'd like that," Barry smiled at Henry.
"Well, I'm going to find my mom," Kayla voiced, heading over to the computers to activate the portal to Ceres – from there, she could go to Krypton if her mom had been relocated there.
"Not without me," Mon moved forward, Kayla welcoming his involvement. Mon put an arm around Kayla, stopping her from leaving – the others seeming to know they needed a moment. "I would have gone with you, if you had wanted to go home," he said quietly.
"That's not my home," Kayla said, her hand still on the piece of paper. "Not anymore."
"Maybe you should read that before we go to Krypton? Let's not overlap your moms," Mon said, and Kayla opened the note:
Kayla,
It's been a long time, hasn't it? I've missed you. Know that I still consider you my daughter as much as I know Jason is my son. You should see him – a teenage warrior now, following in his fathers' footsteps. There were days after you left that I regretted staying. I thought maybe the multiverse would hold a better life for me and Jason and maybe I should have gone with you, but I know my place is here. This world needs me. It needs us.
I told Cindy to offer you to come back, but I know that won't happen. I know you only came for your biological mother, but it makes me smile you came back if for a while. I know the deal is to never come back, but if you ever wanted to see me or Jason, well, I am sure your friends can secretly send you here.
I would welcome seeing you again. Cindy informs me you have a boyfriend. Bring him too sometime.
Love you always.
Your second mother,
Lois.
"You had a Jason?" Mon spoke, surprised Kayla had a nephew there, having read over Kayla's shoulder. She only ever talked about her cousin and Kara.
"Yes, he was young when I left," Kayla said, frowning. "I didn't really know him well. He was attached at the hip to Kara. Right after Kara's death, when he saw me, he didn't react well…" Mon decided to give a nod, letting Kayla hold onto the memory for a moment.
"Well, let's go now see how your biological mom is doing," Mon said, now activating the transport for them to Ceres.
-Hitchhiker's Guide-
Alura had, indeed, been relocated to Krypton and quickly hospitalized in the private wing dedicated for the House of El – it seemed she had some neurological damage brought on by the cryogenic chamber and the experimentations done to her, but she was under the best doctors Krypton had to offer, so was expected to make a good recovery.
Kayla, joined by Mon, of course, was in the hospital, in one of the guest rooms they had for the family – it was nice being among Kryptonian culture once more, even if it was just slightly different to the Krypton she had remembered.
Kayla had her journal out, her entry ready in her head to be put to paper.
My mom is safe, she began, or at least, as safe as she can be. The Flash of Villain Earth had been experimenting on her, and the cryogenic chamber she was kept in… well, I don't think it was a good as Brainiac's ones, but similar – maybe they'd captured Brainiac and he's in one of the other pod, now back on Prime…? More on that shortly.
Returning home was tough though, but I knew it would be, Kayla continued, especially seeing Washington DC with those Snart and Rory statues. But the bad guy Barry was the focus of this mission and man, he was arrogant. I'd never actually met him before, but there was a strange thrill in beating him up and eventually killing him – yes, I actually killed a Flash. Not something to brag about, but he'd used my mom's DNA to claim some of her powers as he was able to fly and had heat vision. It took the best of myself, Mon, and Cisco to stop him. I guess we can join New Justice Rae in the 'We Killed Barry Club'.
But mom wasn't the only one this Barry had captured – he had a lot of the partisans in hold, and five cryogenic pods, one of which held my mom, another with a weird tentacled alien, but like earlier, I have to wonder if they have a Brainiac in there too. The technology was his, even if a little rudimental, so it's not far enough a stretch to wonder if they had a version of him, trapped in his own ice. A fitting trap for the thing that's caused so much grievance on many worlds – even if it's the only good thing Villian Earth has done. Kayla sighed to herself, deciding that when she got back to Prime – which she needed to, given she was covering for their Kara – to check on the other cryogenic pods to see if Brainiac was, indeed, one of the occupants.
I'm now on Krypton, in the El ward with mom in recovery. Once she's better I'll see if I can find the full story from her on what happened to her on Earth and how she ended up there and not… well, dead. And I need to break the news that Kara and Kal are gone, she sighed to herself. One last, heartbreaking, thing to do before she could finally put her past behind her. But she still has me – and I have her, which means everything to me.
Kayla couldn't help but smile to herself as she closed her journal. She had done it; she'd gone back to Villian, she'd faced her past and saved her mom. That was what she set out to do and what she had done, and she felt good about it.
Post-Chapter Note 1: One more chapter to go! We need to find out the history of Hitchhiking Kayla's mom and how exactly she got to Earth, so that's going to be fun. Plus, a little matter of a Kryptonian birth too… hehe.
Post-Chapter Note 2: It had always been the plan to get Villain Earth Henry to Prime, permanently, but other plans and plot got in the way, but finally I got to it. Barry deserved his dad back, especially as Kara has her whole world back (sort of, considering she's a clone anyway).
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Karry Co-Master and Master OUT!